Import prices fall in October

The 0.5 percent decrease in the import price index in October followed five consecutive monthly increases. Imported petroleum prices declined 3.2 percent, after an increase of 11.0 percent in September. Despite the recent drop, petroleum prices rose 43.1 percent for the year ended in October.

Nonpetroleum import prices, on average, continued to register little movement and were unchanged in October, after dipping 0.2 percent in September. From October 1999 to October 2000, nonpetroleum import prices rose 1.1 percent. During the same 12-month period, the price index for all imports—led by the rise in petroleum prices—advanced 5.5 percent.

Self-employment in the United States
Trends in self-employment by various demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, including both the unincorporated and the incorporated self-employed, as well as data on paid employees who work for the self-employed.